The Region 3 Workforce Grant Management Academy was held December 9-11, 2002 in St. Petersburg,
Florida. The academy attracted over 100 board members, WIA directors and staff, One-Stop operators
and partners. Many attendees indicated that the Academy provided an opportunity for learning and sharing
best practices in managing formula and discretionary grants, and learning tips and strategies from other
States in dealing with the rising dislocations and changing economic climates. Attendees also commented
that many workshops were value-added as they directly addressed specific needs at the local level
(i.e., performance, customer service, improving response rate, expenditures, attracting business customers,
and increasing use of the One-Stop system by employers).
Contact: Nancy Hawkins (404-562-2103; nhawkins@doleta.gov)

Partners

ETA/SSA Disability Program Navigator Initiative

ETA held a meeting with Pamela Mazerski, Associate Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA)'s new
Office of Program Development and Research. The new staff was updated on the joint ETA/SSA initiative. SSA also
provided a briefing on two other significant demonstration projects they are conducting on youth and early
intervention in six states (Maryland, Mississippi and New York on youth, and Vermont, New Mexico and Wisconsin
on early intervention). Deputy Commissioner Martin Gerry has requested that proposed Navigators in these states
work closely with these states' demonstration projects. Therefore, they will be requesting the addition of Maryland,
Mississippi and New Mexico to the 13 pilot Ticket states that had been planned with two demonstration sites
applicable in each state. A training curriculum for the Navigators and a evaluation process is also in development.
Contact: Alex Kielty (202-693-3730; akielty@doleta.gov)

HHS/ACF Publishes Proposed Rule On Charitable Choice and TANF

The proposed rule would implement the Charitable Choice statutory provisions at section 104 of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) as amended. These provisions apply to the
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program administered by the Administration for Children and Families
(ACF). The proposed rule applies to State and local governments that administer or provide TANF services and benefits
through contracts with organizations or with certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement, as well as to
faith-based organizations that receive, or apply to receive such funding. It is ACF's policy that, within
constitutional church-state guidelines, faith-based organizations should be able to compete on an equal footing for
TANF funding, and ACF supports the participation of faith-based organizations in the TANF program.
Consideration will be given to comments received by February 18, 2003.
Contact: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-31674.htm

Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey

On December 9th, OPDER and Department of Education staff met to discuss the status/progress of the Adult Literacy
and Lifeskills (ALL) Survey. A household survey will be conducted from January-March 2003 to measure prose, document
and numerical literacy in individuals from ages 16-65. During February-April 2003, sampled students will be assessed
on their English literacy skills. A Spanish-speaking subset of that group also will be assessed on their Spanish
literacy skills.
Contact: Pam Frugoli (202-693-3643; pfrugoli@doleta.gov).

Federal Bureau of Prison Inmate Placement Program

On December 10-12, One-Stop staff trained Federal Bureau of Prison teachers and unit managers on workforce services
available to inmates and ex-offenders. The Bureau's Inmate Placement Program, for which ETA has provided staff
support since it began in 1996, is a finalist for a Harvard JFK School Innovation in Government award.
Contact: Joe Hines (202-693-2793; jhines@doleta.gov)

Waivers

See Attachment

Miscellaneous

PY01 WIA Annual Performance data

All states except New York have submitted their PY01 WIA Annual Performance data as of Friday, December 13.
Four states have not yet submitted the narrative portion of their annual reports. Regional office performance
specialists have been working to ensure that states provide this performance information as soon as it is available.
Contact: Amanda Ahlstrand (202-693-3052; ahlstrand@doleta.gov)

Conference in Region I-Boston

The Boston regional office is planning a May 14 - 16 conference in Newport, Rhode Island. The conference will
have "Putting Our Customers First - Connecting Business and the Community to the One Stop" as a theme with an
overall design of approximately 15 modules/workshops aligned in three thematic tracks. Participation at this
conference will include One Stop staff, FBO/CBOs, businesses and other One Stop related ETA grantees, such as
H1-B, NEG, and Earmark.
Contact: Mary T. Ward (617-565-2193; mward@doleta.gov)

Jobs for Veterans Act

The Veterans' Employment and Training Service has prepared a "slide show" on the Jobs for Veterans Act, P.L. 107-288.
Contact: http://www.nvti.cudenver.edu/new/107_288/PL107-288_pres-alt.pdf

Youth Resource Connections

Youth Resource Connections is a biweekly compendium of items of interest to workforce professionals who work with
young people. This issue puts several programs in its spotlight, lists some scholarship opportunities for youth,
summarizes "open" funding and grant announcements, and offers a detailed manifest of youth-oriented publications,
reports and websites.
Contact: http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/pdf/YRCDec13.pdf

Center For Law & Social Policy (CLASP)

The 2003 CLASP Audio Conference Series: "How Will Low-Income Children and Families Fare in the 108th Congress?"
is scheduled for Fridays, 12:30-1:30 pm (Eastern Time). The 2003 CLASP Audio Conference Series will feature
policymakers and experts addressing issues that affect low-income families and their children-including the
reauthorization of key programs like Head Start, the Workforce Investment Act, Child Nutrition, and the Perkins
Vocational and Technical Education Act, as well as the overdue reauthorization of the federal welfare program.
The series begins on Friday, January 24: "State & Federal Budgets: Implications for Low-Income Programs."
Contact: http://www.claspstore.org/